The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-12-10
SLEEPING APARTMENTS.


Attention of Housekeepers.
Some great writer has Remarked: at
must not be forgotten that we spend a
considerable portion of our lives in the
bed chamber, and, therefore, its
healthfulress can not fail to have a
very important bearing upon our phys
ical well-being." Every body. indeed.
who is actuated by due regard for
health and real comfort, will consider
an equal degree of attention necessary
in giving attention to the size. situa-
ton, temperature and cleanliness of
the apartment he occupies during the
hours Of repose. as of the parlor. draw
ing-room or any other apartment; and
yet how very often do we find families
crowded at night into obscure and con-
fined chambers, of dimensions scarcely
more ample than those Of an old-fash-
toned closet, while perhaps, in the ma
jority of instances, the best rooms in
the whole house are set apart for the
sole purpose Of ostentatious display.
Now it is very important that the
largest and most elevated room, or
rooms. upon the second floor Of the
dwelling, be appropriated for the pur-
poses of sleeping, and that the same
be properly ventilated during the day
time and during all seasons Of the year.
There are few houses the rooms of
which are so situated as to render good
ventilation impossible. and the infiu-
ence Of this practice upon the health of
inmates is too important to permit be-
ing neglected from any slight cause.
A bed-chamber should be Invested OF
all unnecessary furniture, and unless
of considerable size, should never con-
tain more than one bed. There can
not be more pernicious custom than
that pursued by some, indeed by many
families, of having their children sleep
in small apartments, with two and
sometimes three beds crowded into the
same room. 1t is scarcely necessary
to observe that cleanliness, in the most
extensive Specification Of the term, is,
if possible, even more necessary with
reference to the bed-chamber than
with almost any other apartment in the
whole house. The practice Of sleeping
in room which is occupied during. the
day time is extremely unwise. Perfect
cleanliness and sufficient free ventila-
ton can not. under such circumstances,
be preserved, especially during cold
weather; hence the atmosphere be-
comes constantly more vitiated, and
altogether unfit for respiration. While
too great degree of canton can not
be observed to avoid sleeping in damp
rooms, beds or clothing, the tempera-
ture of the bed-chamber, if possible,
should never be increased, under the
ordinary circumstances Of health, by
artificial means AS this apartment is
to be reserved solely for sleep. fire is
never necessary, excepting, possibly,
during extreme cold weather, and,
even then, the temperature ought not
to exceed fifty degrees.
A sleeping apartment in which a
heavy fire has been keptfor several hours
prior to retiring, may to some persons,
at first thought, offer great comfort.
But, right here, great danger is very
liable to occur, since by heating the
room to such an extent as has been re-
ferred to the system becomes greatly
eneryated, creating an increased sus-
ceptibility to the influence of the cold
air, and thus the way is opened to the
attack of some of the most serious dis
eases, especially Of the throat and lungs.
Happy, indeed, should those persons
esteem themselves whose means forbid
an indulgence in this form of luxury!
A person accustomed to undress in a
room without fire, and to seek repose
in cold bed, will not experience the
least inconvenience. even in the sever
est Of winter weather. The natural
heat of the body will very speedily rem.
der a person, under such circumstances.
even more comfortable than ne or
she will be who sleeps in heated
apartment, as experience has amply
verified. But this is not all. The consti-
tuition Of the one accustomed to sleeping
in room which is not artificinlly heat
ed will be rendered more robust and
strong, and far less susceptible to the
influence of artificial vicissitudes. than
TINT person who Is not SO accustomed
TO sleep. Good Housekeeping, a